Forever a Slave
by ForTheGlory
Summary: Mena has been a slave for centuries, forever immortal, and forever bound to serve her master. She knows it will never end, and nothing will ever change her fate... until, a pharaoh visits her master's home, and changes everything. Taken back into writing!
1. Prologue

Hey Guys! So, I found this little gem, and got a little excited! I completely forgot about this project…I'd love to write more, maybe even finish it! We'll see…I'll be rewriting a lot of it, but mostly posting new material. Join me for the ride!

I own only my material and original characters and nothing more.

Prologue

Mena ran, tripping over her own feet, finding it difficult to stay balanced on the hot sand. She ran and ran, almost breaking her leg once or twice, even though she knew, no matter how much she ran, or how fast she ran, there would be no place to hide. She couldn't escape. Her tracks gave her away, and there were no villages for miles. Her oasis was too far from where she was. But still, she ran. Because, she knew if she was caught, only the worst could come of it.


	2. Captured

Chapter one: Captured

Mena continued to run, and then it finally happened. She fell face forward into the sand, with an almighty THUD. She attempted to scramble up; believing a stump or rock had tripped her, but then was forced back onto the ground. She turned over, to see she had a leather cord wrapped around her ankle, and a horse was running toward her, carrying its laughing master. She leapt up before the man could get off his horse, and attempted to run away again, and again was forced to dive forward. She looked at the thin piece of leather incredulously. It should've broken the second she stood up. The man calmly got off his horse, laughing triumphantly. He knelt down by her, and held the cord in front of her.

"You aren't breaking this easy. You see, it's unbreakable. I had that magic man we're holding in our dungeons put a spell on this. I had it specially made. Just for you. I even have another one for you...You'll enjoy this..." Mena was frozen in fear. The cord was unbreakable, and this man had truly captured her. Never in her existence had she predicted this would happen.

The man had turned around to take something from his pack, and Mena saw that the cord was attached to the man's horse. The cord may be unbreakable, but by no means was it attached to anything heavy. She smirked and leapt up quickly, ready to run again. She took an almighty leap, and was ready to hear the squeal of the horse, but was yet again pulled onto all fours. She screamed angrily into the sand. The man looked at her and shook his head.

"You honestly believe I'm that stupid? I thought of that you know...I planned this out quite well." He knelt down and grabber her harshly by the jaw, "I knew where you were going to be, and how to pursue you. I thought of every little detail. And now all I need to do is turn you in..." He sauntered over to her, carrying a strange necklace. It was an intricate band, with entwining multicolored metals. She looked at it, and could see gold, copper, bronze, and platinum. Dangling from it there were several precious stones as well as pearls. She eyed it curiously, long enough to see it pulse with a bright light. Surely he wasn't here to adorn her with gifts, what in the world was it for?

The man got over to her, and forced her on her back, against her will. Normally, she would be able to push in off in an instant, but she had used all her energy to run away from him. He pushed his knee painfully into her back and she hissed. She clenched her eyes shut, and then felt him put the necklace on her. It closed with a sharp snap, and she felt him get up. The second he did, she began to claw at the necklace, trying to find where it had snapped together, so she could pull it apart. She couldn't find it. She moved her hand all around it and couldn't find the spot where it came together. It felt like a never ending strip of metal that had been bent around her neck. And now she couldn't get it off. She glared at the man. Clearly, this too had been cursed so it wouldn't come off. She was fearful of what else it was for... She made her way to him, planning to smash his face in, when she felt her knees give.

She yelled angrily, cursing him with all her might. He had temporarily paralyzed her when he had slammed his knee into her back. He laughed and picked her up. He threw her on his horse, and began to ride north. Her curses grew softer, as she knew what was to become of her. The infamous palace came into sight slowly, and ominously. She set her head down in defeat and cried. It was a foreign thing to her, but she cried, softly and quietly. Because of the way she was, no one could let her be. Especially not the Kingdom of Apep.

The place was famous for its evil ways. It was home to thieves, murderers, and a variety of violent, evil people. Kull Elna was even a close personal ally with Apep. She knew that whatever was to become of her, was not good. And that whatever it was, was binding. It was eternal. It was everlasting. And it would never end.

She was brought into the palace, hearing many vulgar sounds around her, making her shake with fear and anger. Men reached out to her and stroke her clean, white hair with their dirty hands, and touched her legs, and back lustfully. The hunter thankfully realized this and swatted them away. He must've needed her in good condition.

They got to the main gates, and then brought her down from the horse. He set her unsteadily on her legs, and she realized she almost had full control of her body. Almost. She wobbled a bit, and had to grab hold of the man's arms. The man smirked and looked at her.

"Can't stay away?" She glared. He continued to smirk, and wrapped more of the leather cords around her wrists, so she wouldn't attack anyone. He wrapped another around her ankle just to be safe, and Mena was proud of herself. Even though he had her in the palm of his hand, he took extra measures so she wouldn't get away. After preparing her, they entered the palace, walking down a long hallway. There were many anxious slaves running back and forth, and a few dancers here and there. Handmaidens walked through the hallway, carrying various oils, drinks, foods, and linens. There was so much going on all at once, it made Mena's head spin. She was used to the small seclusion of her oasis, living alone. With all these people hustling and bustling around, it was intimidating to her. Even when she did happen to visit a city, it was usually at dark, in the dead of the night. Never when so many people were out.

Finally, they reached the throne room, and Mena was even more overwhelmed. The harsh smell of incense hit her like a big wave, and as she looked around, she realized the throne room was huge. There were dancers and entertainers everywhere. Handmaidens were poised all around the king. The king was an older man, but not too old. He had dark hair, with a slight touch of gray beginning. There was no queen, as he had so many concubines and slaves there was no need. He had already had a son born to him, and he was destined to become the next ruler. King Odji. His very name meaning wicked, had done many terrible things in his time ruling. Mena was surprised the pharaoh hadn't already discovered what was happening.

She was lead up to the king and although her knees shook with fear at the thought of what may happen to her, she raised her head high. The king smirked and gave a dark chuckle.

"So this is the famous 'Goddess' assassin? Well how does it feel to be captured? Do you like my kingdom?" He stood and opened his arms wide, admiring his throne room. Mena glared at him. "Oh come now, I do crave your opinion. After all, I've been very anxious to meet you for quite some time. Oh you've done some interesting things in your time...You've even killed seven of my bounty hunters! But finally Gaji captured you...and not even a scratch on him. Congratulations Gaji, you may collect your prize in a moment..." He nodded to the hunter who swelled with pride. He then turned back to Mena. "So tell me...do you enjoy my kingdom?" Mena's eyes narrowed.

"Your kingdom is full of people who should be considered no more than absolute filth! Full of evil people who know nothing but wrong! I despise your kingdom..." The king surprisingly laughed even more.

"I'm very glad! That lets me know I'm doing my job as King of Apep. Even more so that I know you killed several people within my kingdom."

"If I had the choice I'd kill every single person in this dreaded place..." Odgi smirked.

"Yes I'm sure you would, but that's not up to you is it? In fact, you're going to have to learn to enjoy it. You're going to be here for a very long time...and you don't even have a free will anymore." Mena gritted her teeth.

"And what do you mean by that exactly?" She asked, even though she was pretty sure she knew the answer.

"You see that beautiful necklace on you? Well I had that specially crafted just for you! It looks quite lovely I must say...Mercury runs through its veins, and it is enchanted. Anything I order you to do, you must obey." Mena's heart stopped cold. She was now, truly, a slave.


	3. The Assassin

So, just to clear things up… Apep is the god of evil and wickedness. He's a pretty nasty guy. Gaji means hunter so that one was an obvious choice Mena is a play on Mesi which means water. I didn't really like the original name...

Let me know what you think! Thanks!

Chapter Two: The Assassin

Years passed. Centuries passed. And then finally a millennia. Mena had served King Odgi, and several generations of kings. Anpu, Horu, Hondo, Inpu, and countless other kings each just as horrible as the last, sometimes even worse. But they all had Odgi's humorous nature, and otherwise let her do as she pleased. Most of the time, she was commanded to please visitors and guests. Sometimes, she was ordered to please the king. Other times she pleased guards. And every now and then she was commanded to kill an enemy, or to protect the king.

And every year, her hate of the kingdom grew. The bounty hunter, Gaji had long since passed, and for a while had been her friend, as the reward had been to live in the palace. She had a few friends that were handmaidens and dancers, and they kept living there bearable most times, but when she had to see them grow older, and eventually pass away, she became depressed. Not only did she lose a friend, she was constantly reminded that she was there, forever. She grew to hate men and become incredibly distrustful. She had been raped countless times in the palace, and often when she was ordered to please them, that included everything. She had been attacked, groped, harassed, you name it. It had happened to her. She had been there. For a millennia...a slave.

Not only a slave, but in a degradable position as little more than a concubine or handmaiden. The king's prized pet. After all, if they had an important guest, she was always their present. The king's main event. And if she was able to kill herself, she was sure she would've.

Atem sighed. He leaned against his balcony overlooking the grand gardens behind the palace. The sun was setting, and nothing could've been more beautiful at that moment. Suddenly there was a loud knock on the door, and he was snapped out of his day dream. He closed his eyes and cursed under his breath. Couldn't he have any time alone ever?

"What?" he said wearily as he put his face into his hand. He heard a muffled voice on the other side of his door.

"My Pharaoh, you are needed in the throne room. The priests wish to speak with you." Atem sighed. He slightly hit his head against the wall with annoyance. It was night time. The sun had fallen and he should be able to relax. But he was again being called on. He moved from his spot on the wall and went over to pick up his thick red robe. He put it over his shoulders and began his way to the throne room. He was hoping that he wasn't going to have to hear another Bakura horror story again. He didn't enjoy hearing what that man did at all. It always ruined his day to hear about people getting viciously slaughtered about the streets in the kingdom. And it had already been a bad day. Nothing could possibly make it worse.

He entered the throne room, and could visibly see he wasn't the only person who didn't want to be there. Mahado looked a little unsteady, and Mana was nodding off. Isis stifled a yawn and then gave a sheepish smile when Seto gave her an angry look. Seto straightened as Atem came through the door.

"My Pharaoh, I am deeply sorry for disturbing your rest, but we have pressing issues we must discuss. As you know, one of the kingdoms we keep a close eye on is Apep, and from time to time the Pharaoh visits the kingdom to see that everything is in order. That is close for you, but also, we believe that Bakura may be hiding in Apep. We would like for you to visit, so that we may quietly search the city without suspicion. This way, we can find Bakura and prevent danger to the citizens within Cairo." Atem rubbed his temples and shut his eyes.

"You brought me out of my room, from my relaxation to tell me I need to travel? Really Seto, I expected something a little more important..." Atem wasn't usually this snippy, but he was extremely tired and felt that Seto had wasted everyone's time. Seto took a deep breath.

"No actually I brought you down here to tell you something more important. We believe that Bakura is in Apep for more than a hiding place. We believe he may have found...something dangerous." Atem opened his eyes. So he did have to hear more about Bakura...

"And what do you believe he has found?" Seto shifted uncomfortably under Atem's harsh gaze.

"Do you remember the stories of the Assassin Goddess?" Atem blinked his eyes, and furrowed his brows. His history lessons were a little shaky. But he did recall hearing of a girl...one said to have the same might and power of a god. To be immortal, and was in the same position as the Grim Reaper, only she killed only evil and wicked people. Who's hearts were cold and full of no good. About a millennia ago she disappeared. Her location was unknown to the world.

"Yes...and what about her?" Seto straightened a bit more, clearly still uncomfortable.

"We had sources that say she may be in the Kingdom of Apep. And that Bakura may be trying to find her and use her powers." Atem continued to rub his temples and shook his head.

"Even if Bakura is after her, she kills the evil and is said to have a good heart. She wouldn't slaughter the innocent." Seto nodded and continued.

"Yes, but we also recieved information that he has found a way to control her. We are unsure of anything else, but we do know that this is a threat, and we need to find out more. By visiting the kingdom, we can search for Bakura, and maybe find out about the existence of the girl." Atem was now concerned. If Bakura found out how to control one with the power of a god...Egypt could be doomed.


	4. Visiting

Ife=eeeefeee

Mena=meeena

Chapter Three: Visiting

Mena tiptoed quietly out of the room. A guest had stayed the night before, and she had been ordered to give him company. Thankfully, this meant she could play with him. It hadn't taken very long to knock the man out and get away. One of the good things that came out of it was that she had the luxurious bed all to herself, and a fantastic warm bath. Sadly, she couldn't sleep in. She wasn't sure how long the man would remain unconscious, so she couldn't take any chances. The sun was just rising, and there was a cool breeze throughout the palace. If she hadn't been where she was, she would've been able to enjoy it more. She longed for her beautiful oasis...She didn't even know if it was still there after so many years.

She made her way through the halls, and down to her room. Of course, it wasn't necessarily her room. She shared it with a few handmaidens and dancers. Every now and then rather than making them all share a bed, she let them into guest rooms. They didn't get the same benefits as she did. But then again, they didn't get the same consequences as she did either. She entered her room and noticed that everyone was already up.

The dancers were anxiously putting their extravagant clothes and jewelry on, and the handmaidens were running back and forth. Apparently the king was already awake...she sighed. She would have to join everyone and make her way to the throne room. She would have to explain the guest...but then again, that was the kind of thing that the king liked. It was his own little joke. Often, he gave her to men who he wasn't trying to impress or please, and saw it as 'good fun'. The next day when they showed up battered and bruised, he laughed with glee, and said they were 'weak men'.

She was about to the throne room, when she was suddenly yanked back. She gave a yelp and was quickly turned around to see her best friend Ife.

"Ife! You scared me! Warn me next time you're going to attack me..." Ife just squealed with glee.

"Mena! You won't believe it!" Mena just sighed.

"You know, I never do..." Ife rolled her eyes.

"I'm serious!" Mena laughed at her handmaiden friend.

"Ok ok! What's so exciting?"

"The king is calling everyone in, because the Pharaoh is coming soon!" Mena felt her heart lift. Whenever the pharaoh came to visit, it meant a whole week of fun for her. And she usually made a new friend. Last time the Pharaoh came to visit, he was there for about a month, and she had been appointed to him. A whole month of luxury, and fun. Every now and then she had met a Pharaoh she didn't like, but often enough she met a new friend.

She wasn't sure how long ago Akhenamkhanen had visited, or if he was still alive, but she had had fun last time he visited. She heard he had gotten married, but hadn't heard any news of the pharaoh since then. Of course, that was some time ago...

She took Ife's hand and ran into the throne room. They skidded into their places, and waited patiently for King Aser. The entire palace staff must've been waiting in the throne room at that moment. A silent murmur in the air of people whispering to each other, some knew what was going on, and some didn't. Ife squeaked as she realized she didn't have the basin of water for the King. She ran off back into the hallway and left Mena laughing. She soon came back, carefully balancing a heavy gold basin, and not long after, a huge gong boomed, and the king entered.

Everyone kneeled and bowed their heads, Mena as well, although grudgingly. He sat in his throne, and every handmaiden in the room ran to him, including Ife. He washed his hands briskly in the large water basin that Ife was tenderly holding atop her head, concentrating on not spilling water on his robes. The servants held up every platter they had and he waved them away. The dancers remained kneeling, as the King had to speak, they couldn't be distractions. The Kind stood and observed his palace. Mena had to admit, the looks in the generations hadn't changed much. Overall, the king often looked the same, which made it harder for her to determine what year she was in sometimes.

"My people." He spoke with a deep, booming tone and a smirk on his face,

"It has become that time when the Pharaoh visits our humble kingdom, and oversees our business. He makes sure that we do not cause trouble, and goes through our home to see how it works. This is why, you must been informed to be on your best behavior. We want him to see that we function perfectly. We do not want to end up like our poor sister Kull Elna..." He trailed off, his eyes squinted. Ever since news had reached Apep that Kull Elna had been mysteriously slaughtered, the kingdom of Apep had been very grudging of the Pharaoh. Had he not occasionally visited Apep, they would've plotted against him.

The King nodded his head and sat down, dismissing anyone who didn't need to be there. Mena waited. Usually, when they had an important guest visiting, he liked to give her instructions. But to her surprise, he didn't call her over, and soon she left. He must have some other plan saved for her...

Atem groaned and shielded himself with a pillow as the light hit his eyes. He had overslept, usually waking up at dawn, and felt very refreshed. But he still didn't want to get up. For once, he had slept peacefully. No nightmares, and no restlessness. He sighed as he knew even if he fell right back asleep, it wouldn't happen again. So he sat up and got out of bed. He stretched, feeling the tense muscles in his back protest with anger. He sighed and grabbed his usual red robe. He put on his many pounds of gold bands and necklaces, and then proceeded to put on his crown. He made his way down to the dining hall, knowing it was far past breakfast, but was hoping it was at least near lunch.

He reached the dining hall to see, that it was in fact lunch time. He saw Seto give him a disapproving look, and he smiled sheepishly. Mana smiled at him and waved him over to his seat.

"Hey sleepy head! You missed breakfast." Mana leapt from her chair and waved at the pharaoh. She laughed at Atem, who rubbed his eyes and yawned, still half asleep. Mahado raised his eyebrow at her and she gave a nervous laugh. She sometimes spoke out of line to what was customary to the pharaoh, but Atem didn't care. He wasn't all too keen on the traditional stuff. Mana was his friend, as were many others. They could speak however they wished to him. He had told them many times, but it never failed that they would continue to stay with the traditional way.

"My Pharaoh, forgive me, but tomorrow we must leave for Apep. The priests will plan where to look for Bakura and the assassin. Today, you will be free to do as you wish." This announcement made Atem's heart leap with joy. He would be able to relax today! And not only that, but he had remembered last night that his father used to enjoy going to the Kingdom of Apep. He had always commented about a friend that he made while he was there; a young servant girl that he enjoyed talking with. He said he often despised the king and the kingdom itself, but it always cheered him up to see his friend. Atem hoped he would meet someone similar while he was there. Or at least he hoped he could bring Mana to keep him company. He quickly finished his breakfast (or as quickly as he could with Mana chatting with him) and made his way back to his room to relax.

He had done more research on this assassin, and was incredibly intrigued. She was said to be immortal, never aging, never able to die or part from the earth. She was a slayer of evil people, whose hearts could see no good. Her way of coming to the earth was unknown, but she was said to be sent by the gods themselves. Over the years, she killed many people. She had slain tyrants, warriors, murderers, all sorts of people, even once killing an evil Pharaoh. People who were lucky enough to see her said she was like a panther in the night. She blended in with her surroundings, and was quick and silent.

She was good at her job, and was able to kill anyone she pleased. Once, a very paranoid king had set up guards at every corner of his palace and at every perimeter of the kingdom, and she had gotten past every single one of them, and succeeded in killing the king, and only the king. She was said to be able to kill without any weapon of any sort. She truly was the ultimate assassin.

Her location was unknown, but many believed that she had retired from her job, and had stopped killing. Other said that that was impossible, because the gods would unleash their fury upon her if she refused her duty. Atem after a while had gotten tired of reading the books, and found them repetitive. It seemed that no one knew anything more about the assassin goddess. He could bet anything though, that Bakura had better sources, and might've possibly known more. He could only hope not...for Egypt's safety.

He sighed as he slammed the last book he had. He coughed as dust flew everywhere. Clearly, the books hadn't been touched in ages. He set it down in the stack by his bed, and laid back. He closed his eyes and thought about leaving his home. He loved to visit the people, and find out about his kingdom, but he had never been to Apep, but he had heard terrible things about it. And for whatever reason, Apep seemed to hold a grudge with Cairo. If he had no friendly citizens to chat with, and visit, it wouldn't be a very pleasant stay at all. And he would also miss his beautiful gardens. He sat up and looked outside his balcony to see that the sun was low in the sky. He thought about it for a while, and decided to make his last day in Cairo (for who knows how long) count. He wanted to visit his gardens, and walk around in them.

When he got into his gardens, he immediately went to the fountains. They had made a water reprocessing system that constantly transferred the water, so it was always clean. It was always cool around the fountain, because there were palms all around it that created an oasis like environment. He sat on the edge of the fountain and looked at his reflection in the pool. He took in the sweet smell of an exotic flower nearby, and dipped his hand in the cool water. He grabbed one of the nearby flowers, and started putting the petals in the water. Everything was so peaceful...

"PHARAOH!" Atem jumped as he heard Mana calling for him in the garden. He sighed. He stood on top of the fountain and waved his arms. Mana spotted him and giggled. She ran toward him and Atem quickly jumped down so that she wouldn't push him into the fountain again. She had done it at least five or more times...

"Pharaoh! Mahado sent me! He wanted me to tell you that you are requested for dinner." She stated, surprisingly formal. "You already skipped one meal, if you skip another you'll be nothing but bones!" That was more like it. Atem laughed.

"Alright alright! I have important questions for Seto anyway..." Mana smiled and took his hand, leading him to the dining hall. Or rather, dragging him. Atem had never been able to keep up with her energetic nature and had often been worn out by her. They got into the dining hall, and Atem was breathing heavily. He flopped down into a chair, and downed a goblet of water. Isis watched him in amusement.

"Have you been running my Pharaoh?" Atem took a deep breath.

"Yes...after...Mana." Mana glared at him playfully. After Atem had fully recovered, he ate heartily, as did everyone else. He looked at Seto, who was conversing with one of the other priests and cleared his throat.

"Seto, I was wondering if you could tell me who was coming on this journey." Seto looked up. He wasn't used to Atem expressing interest in the travels. Usually, he just joined the group, and rode his horse, never asking much about the journey.

"I-I believe all the priests. Why do you ask?" Atem shrugged.

"I wanted to know who was going to keep me company." He trailed off with a slightly lonely tone. Seto raised his eyebrows. The pharaoh usually could speak with anyone, and was not a very shy person about meeting people, or traveling to new places. He was acting very strange...He wondered if he was nervous about the Kingdom of Apep, after all being the kind of place it was, he couldn't blame him.

Not long after that, Atem stood up, and returned to his room. By then it had become dark in the night sky, and the stars were shining brightly. He lit a few lanterns in his huge room, and gazed down at his gardens one last time. He didn't know what kind of place Apep was for sure, but he had an uneasy feeling in his stomach about it, although, he couldn't quite place it. It wasn't completely fear, nor was it anxiety. It wasn't any kind of feeling he had felt before. All he knew was, that something new, and interesting was awaiting him in the Kingdom of Apep.


	5. The Arrival and Unveiling

Chapter Four: The Arrival and Unveiling

Mena hummed happily to herself. The Pharaoh had begun his caravan to Apep about a week ago, and was supposed to arrive that day. She was dressed in her finest linens, and had all of her gold jewelry on. She had coal around her eyes, and smelled like desert lilacs. She squealed happily. She was extremely excited to meet the new pharaoh, as she hadn't heard much about him. She didn't know anything other than he was Pharaoh, so she was also a little nervous to meet him. She was afraid she would mess up and displease him, and possibly get severely punished for it...

Also, the King had been very odd lately. He hadn't ordered her to do anything lately, and hadn't spoken to her in quite some time. It was all very odd...It made her paranoid and skittish, because she knew that the king was clearly planning something...She was afraid of what exactly it was. She took a deep breath and walked over to her spot in the room. It had a few flowers here and there that she had taken here and there from around the palace. It always made her feel better to see proof that there was life beyond this palace, and not everything in the world was bad.

She had a pile of blankets and a straw mat as a bed, but she luckily didn't use it much. She was able to sneak around the vast rooms of the palace and steal a good sleep in a nice comfy bed. But to get a bath, she usually had to go out into the small pond behind the palace. And it often depressed her to go back there. There were twenty foot walls all around her, and there was no green at all. There was nothing but a dead tree and the small, muddy pond. But, when she needed a bath, she needed a bath.

She sat down on her makeshift bed and sighed. Her day had been quite uneventful, but very stressful. There had been handmaidens swarming all around her for the duration of the morning. People tugging on her hair and washing it. People rubbing her with oils to make her smell good. People dressing her in fine linens and people carrying some of her long forgotten jewelry to her. It had all made her head whirl, and once it was over, to make it all worse, all the girls huddled up near her, gossiping about the Pharaoh, and giggling with delight. Some even glared at her with jealousy.

What would he look like? How old was he? Was he handsome? Was he married? Was he strong? They could only ever dream of meeting the Pharaoh. She was embarrassed over all the fuss, but she felt proud. It made her feel like royalty.

She was daydreaming, when a loud knock came at the door. She sighed again, and began to get up and go to the door, when it suddenly burst open, and revealed a bunch of burly guards. Mena took in a sharp breath. They all had greedy, evil smirks on their faces, and one even licked his lips like she was some sort of meal. She backed away and took a defensive stance, anger in her eyes, but fear in the back of her mind. The guards kept getting nearer, and began to chuckle darkly. One finally lunged at her and she dodged him. He grabbed her ankle and she turned around, delivering a swift kick to his hand. He yelled and let go, but by that time the entire group of guards had surrounded her, and one grabbed her from behind.

"King says, you're supposed to go quietly...I'd do what he says if I were you. We can be very...nasty." The man whispered into her ear, his breath rancid. He laughed, and licked her ear, further enraging her. She shed a few tears. Because it was the King's orders, she was forced to do as she was told. The fine necklace around her neck gleamed and showed it was truly the king's order. She couldn't attack any of them, or lash out. She knew she could've gotten rid of them all, and gotten away, but because she was ordered to go 'quietly' she could do nothing. The guards laughed when they saw a few tears fall onto the dusty ground. One gave a drunken slur,

"That's right little missy...Cry. You should be afraid. I'll bet you'd like to kill me right now wouldn't you? But you can't...See we get to have fun before we have to take you the throne room..." The rest of the men laughed and nodded. Mena's eyes grew wide. She would have to submit to those...pigs. She hung her head and held back more tears, all in vain. More fell, and soon the ground was covered. The men closed in, and she threw her head back and yelled. It was all she could do. But she knew no one would come. The handmaidens had tried to help her before, and had either been killed or merely taken with her. They knew now to stay away. She could do nothing. No one could. It's how things worked. It's how they had always worked.

Atem yawned, and rubbed some dust from his eyes. The caravan had been waken early by a dust storm, and had had to move out quickly. It had succeeded in covering them all in a fine coat of dust and dirt, making them all look ill and discolored. Luckily, they hadn't camped out too far from the Kingdom of Apep, so they hadn't had a long distance to cover. The grand palace was in sight, and the Kingdom was nearing. Behind him, he could hear Mana silently cheering. She had had a rough few days, full of spiders, and scorpions, as well as dust storms and losing the luxury of a daily bath. She saw the Kingdom and was silently hoping they had a nice bath waiting for her.

Atem turned around and smiled at his friend. She smiled back and gave a friendly wave. He turned back around on his horse and looked at the palace again. The strange feeling in his stomach began to worsen and he felt as if he wanted to turn around and run back. He shook his head, trying to regain sense. They had gone on a week long journey to get there, and they had urgent business to take care of there. He couldn't just run away...No matter how much he wanted to.

They finally got into Apep, and people all around turned to look at the caravan. As soon as they saw the Pharaoh, they all glared, and turned away. Atem bowed his head. He didn't like the feeling this place gave off...He knew he wasn't welcome, and he knew no one would associate with him outside of the palace. He sighed. That was why he had brought Mana, and was glad that all the priests were there. Without someone to talk to, he wasn't sure if he could stay sane.

They got to the palace gates, and the caravan heard shouts all about the walls. Finally, the gates opened, and they were let in. A guard greeted them and they were let off their horses. Servants quickly ran to get the horses, and all the things that were brought with them and rushed away. Atem thanked them and a startled look appeared on their faces, as if they weren't used to any sort of recognition or thanks. One bowed, and ran away with the others. Atem frowned. How exactly did they treat their servants here?

The guard continued to lead them into the Palace, and Atem looked all around him. It was nothing compared to the Palace back in Cairo, but it was still nice. Although he wished it had more color. He could see nothing but the simple color of dirt and stone. After a while it made him queazy. He stared at his red robe, just to see a difference in color. When he looked up, he heard the guard say,

"And this is the throne room. The king will be with you shortly." He bowed and walked off. Atem heard Seto huff to himself,

"Who does this king think he is? Making the Pharaoh wait for him..." Atem shook his head and smiled. Sometimes Seto could be a little too traditional and uptight. He wished the priest would relax once in a while...

They heard a loud booming laugh, and suddenly an elderly King appeared. He was a heavyset man with graying hair, and he had a precession of handmaidens following him, their heads bowed.

"My Pharaoh! Welcome to the Kingdom of Apep! I am King Aser. I hope my people have been treating you well so far..." The king looked around with a heavy gaze, although somewhat humorous. Atem shifted, slightly uncomfortable.

"Your people are very kind. They have graciously welcomed me..." He was lying of course, but he didn't wish to cause any trouble. He thought about it...and he supposed that the servants had been very welcoming at least. They were very kind to him, unlike the citizens. The king nodded and smiled, very pleased.

"Good good...now, please let us go to dinner...you have all had a very long journey correct?" The king finally acknowledged the rest of the group, making Seto huff yet again with slight anger. The king too his huff as a, 'Yes' and smiled happily. "Well come along then! I have a very special gift for you of course..." Atem raised his eyebrows, and followed the King to the dining hall. When they walked in, he was almost blinded. Everything in the dining hall was covered in some sort of golden color. It had a rich, light feeling to it. He had to admit, it was a nice break from the dirt colored outside. It at least had a full color to it.

There were dancers all around, dressed in a soft blue color, and handmaidens in a deep blood red. They were all perfectly still, almost like an exquisite army of some sort. Except, he could see one girl in the corner, balancing a heavy basin of water that looked rather fidgety. He knew Isis saw her too, and she surpressed a laugh, as did Mahado. They all knew she reminded them of Mana.

They got to the table, and carefully sat down. As soon as they did, an extravagant meal was placed in front of them. Mana's eyes widened. She usually had good meals in Cairo, but never one this big...She had never really been to a celebratory feast, other than Atem's birthday. But even that was not quite as big. They ate quite ferociously, as they hadn't had a decent meal in a few days, and the King chatted with Atem the entire time. Or rather, he talked and Atem listened. It all made Seto quite angry that his Pharaoh was being disrespected, and soon he looked like he was about to burst a vein. Isis giggled behind her hands, and Mana joined her.

They all ate until they were stuffed, and soon all their plates were taken away. The unsteady girl with the basin came around, and everyone washed their hands. When she got around to Atem, her face lit up. He smiled at her, and she nearly slopped the water all over him with excitement. She stopped, when she heard a gong ring. She turned around swiftly, with a confused look on her face. The king smiled and stood up.

"It looks like your gift is just on time my Pharaoh!" Atem looked up, and saw a huge cage of some sort being revealed. It was covered in a sheet of golden silk, so he wasn't quite sure what was under it. He hoped it wasn't some cruel prank, involving a tiger, or lion... He heard a loud gasp, and looked at the girl with the basin. It seemed as if she knew what was under the sheet. He wasn't sure if the gasp was good or bad...

Two handmaidens walked up to the cage, and whipped the sheet back. The king held his hands wide, showing his gift. Atem's jaw dropped. It was a girl in the cage, who looked to be no older than he was. She was covered in fine linens that had been ripped to shreds. She had to hold the fabric together to cover herself. Her eyes were red, and she had coal smeared all across her face. She had a few bruises here and there, as well as some cuts, and some welts that looked suspiciously like whip marks. She was breathing quickly, and ragged. Her eyes were darting everywhere. She looked like some sort of wild animal that had gone mad.

He stood up at the sight. He couldn't believe it, he had never seen servants, or any human being treated like that before. It made him sick. He looked behind him to see the same reactions were across everyone else's face. Mana looked like she was scared to tears, and Mahado buried her face in his side, comforting his student. Atem looked at the King for some explanation, and without looking at the girl he smiled and said,

"My Pharaoh! My gift to you!"


	6. Be Careful

Chapter Five: Be careful...

Atem stood from his chair quickly, knocking it back. His hands were shaking with rage.

"Is this some kind of sick joke?" The King furrowed his brows, not understanding. He turned around, to see the girl, and about keeled over when he saw her condition. He stuttered his words for a bit, and then finally got a sentence out.

"My-my Pharaoh! I can assure you this was not meant to be this way..." Atem glared at the man. His father had told him things about Apep, and its differences, but he never could imagined it was this different...women being shown off as prizes, and gifts. The girl had hidden her face, and was backed into a corner of what Atem could see was a makeshift cage of some sort. He could see gashes and bruises on her back, making him even more furious. The king again spoke, diverting the Pharaoh's attention.

"My Pharaoh...I can assure you I will hunt down whoever did this...and they will be punished. For now, I hope that you and your caravan will get rest...You had a long journey. And you make take your gift from me as well. The girl…She will heed to your ever call, and serve your every wish..." Atem noticed a slightly perverse tone in the King's voice near the end, "She is yours as long as you stay in my Kingdom." Atem looked up to see the girl glaring holes into the back of the King's head. Her bright orange eyes pierced the darkness, and she made her disgust known.

He could see the King shift uncomfortably, not only because he knew the girl was glaring at him, but so was every single person who had visited along with the Pharaoh. Isis was holding Mana back fiercely as angry tears shone in the young magician's eyes. Seto had a white knuckled grip on the Millennium Rod, and was shaking with rage. Atem was waiting for him to burst out first, knowing he had the shortest temper, but it never came. Atem assumed it was because the mission was on his mind.

The King coughed uncomfortably and then bowed to the room, exiting to hopefully search for the men who had harmed the girl. Atem watched as he was the King hobble down the hall, nervously panting, and clutching the wall as if he were about to pass out. His eyes traced from the King to the girl. She was still backed into the corner of her cage, holding her clothes together. He felt pity for her, and approached the cage.

As he drew nearer, in the back of his mind he wasn't sure how safe or sane she was. She had an animalistic quality to her as though she could lash out at any given moment. However, he was drawn in by her captivating aura, and her bright orange eyes. Never had he seen such a strange color for one's eyes, except for his own, which were a deep burgundy color. It contrasted her pure white hair interestingly, which also created a ghostly glow in the dark.

As her reached the cage, he motioned for two handmaidens to unlock the door to it. The girls ran over, both heads bowed, and quickly opened the door for him. He nodded a polite thank you, and held out his hand to the girl. She shrunk back further, pressing herself harder against the metal bars. He locked his eyes with her, hoping she would see the gentleness in them. She turned around to look at him curiously.

And ever so hesitantly, she took a few light steps toward the front. The light hit her, and she quickly jumped out. She examined Atem, her eyes darting over him back and forth. His hand was still outstretched in a friendly manner he noticed. And she hadn't even considered touching it. His hand slid back down to his side, as Seto made his way over. The girl's head snapped over to him, and she took a step back. He had moved far too quickly and it seemed to make her jumpy.

The Pharaoh's caravan noted quickly, that her manner was like an animal's. Quick, jumpy, careful. She moved fluidly and light, her feet hardly making a sound. When Seto noticed her reaction, he stopped dead in his tracks. She had locked eyes with him. She padded over to him, eyes never leaving his, and stopped, about three inches away from him. It was as if they were locked in a battle of some sort. Her eyes flickered to his Millennium rod, and she turned her head, and walked away.

Seto, stood motionless for a while, and then whipped around to look at her. She was making her way to another set of doors, and walking around the long table at which the caravan sat. She felt all the eyes staring at her, but she acknowledged none of them. She simply exited, leaving a cold air behind her. Mana even shivered. The room was dead silent, and after a while the girl with the basin made a small noise. She sloshed her way over to Atem, careful not to spill anything on him or Seto, and spoke timidly.

"My Pharaoh...If you'll follow me I will show you to your room..." She wobbled over to the table and set down the big golden basin carefully. She took in a comical breath of relief and pranced away over to the doors. He watched her in fascination for a moment, and then began to follow her, which he found to be quite a workout. She was a very bright, bouncy girl and reminded Atem of Mana. He smirked to himself, knowing Mana couldn't hardly keep her mouth shut most of the time...Which gave him an idea.

"Excuse me...can you tell me a few things?" The girl stopped dead in her tracks, and looked over her shoulder at him with big eyes.

"My Pharaoh...I'm not really supposed to speak with you..." She looked around nervously and bit her lip. Atem sighed.

"I thought as much...but I only need a few minutes." The girl played with her hands for a bit and the nodded her head signifying it was alright. Atem cheered mentally.

"What do you know about the girl?" The girl's eyes doubled in size.

"My Pharaoh...I think it best if you not ask me such questions. And I pray you make the night..." Atem was taken aback at her sudden sullen tone. She was shifty, and didn't wish to answer his question. And her last sentence made him uneasy...He heard the creak of a large door, and he noticed that they had arrived at what must have been his room. The handmaiden was pulling back what could only have been a very heavy copper door. He entered the room, and turned around to speak more with the girl, but she was already closing the door, and hid her face in the shadows.

He sighed, upset that he hadn't gotten more out of her...unlike Mana she did have self control it seemed. He turned around and gasped. His room was absolutely magnificent. He was used to having a very nice room at the palace in Cairo, but this was over the top. It was a deep blood red on the walls, with intricate copper designs all over. The ceiling was a creamy color, matching the smooth stone floor. There was a gigantic bed in one corner, but it wasn't much bigger than his at home, but with further inspection he found it had silk sheets, and a huge golden canopy above it. There was a huge balcony at the back of the room, facing the Kingdom, which was rather beautiful when it was dark, and all the lights were lit. He looked around the room and noticed that the room had about fifteen torches , as well as a large bathing pool in the center of the room, surrounded by numerous oils and perfumes.

He walked over to the bed and flopped down on it. It was filled with Ibis feathers, and was incredibly soft and luxurious, which was just the thing he needed after his long travels in the desert. He was about to close his eyes, when he caught a whiff of himself and his eyes watered. 'Time for a bath...' he thought to himself. He stripped all of his clothes and was about to get into the warm bath waters, when he heard a rustle from the balcony. He wrapped a towel around himself, and grabbed his dagger from beside his clothes. He approached the balcony silently, and was almost there when the dagger was knocked out of his hand and a hand was wrapped around his mouth. He struggled for a moment, until another hand went to his throat. His eyes searched for his dagger, until he heard a voice in his ear.

"Pharaoh...I suggest that with me around in the mood I am in you be careful. I do not enjoy being a slave, much less a sex slave. Understand now that if someone really wanted to they could kill you right now. Now, I don't kill good people like you, but cross me just once like those guards did and Egypt will no longer have a Pharaoh. If you abuse your power just once...Well then it wouldn't be very difficult for me would it?" Atem's heart nearly stopped cold as she spoke. Her voice was soft, but menacing. It was smoother than the finest silks and flowers in all of Egypt.

She pushed him away finally to reveal a much more cleaned up girl; she didn't even remotely resemble the fragile hurt girl in the dining room. She was again in clean linens, her cuts and bruises gone. Her bright orange eyes didn't leave his.

She walked over to a small white couch, and laid on it.

"If you don't mind dear Pharaoh, I would like to sleep...I'm sure you'd like to continue your bath." Atem was speechless. Never before had he seen a woman act like that. He never would have believed that a girl could act with such ferocity. She was feminine, with an air of a warrior. He could never imagined a girl like this.

He looked over at her, and saw that she was turned over on her side away from the bath. Her chest was softly rising and falling, indicating she was close to sleep. He took off his towel carefully, watching her as he sunk into the bath. After a while of soaking in the water, and watching her, he turned around and began to wash his hair. She was a curious thing…threatening him the way she did. He supposed it wasn't the first time she had to do this. After all, her appearance earlier said it all. He brushed these thoughts away. A simple servant girl wouldn't dare to harm him, much less could.

He relaxed after a while, and enjoyed the natural heat of the water, and how much it made his muscles relax. He began to put some of the scented oils on himself, when he had an uneasy feeling.

He whipped around and saw that the girl was still turned around, and had hardly moved from the last time he saw her. He turned back around and continued to rub oil on the upper half of his torso. He then got out of the water, and again wrapped himself with a towel. He quickly turned around to see her turned on her other side facing him, leaning her head on her arm.

Atem blushed and frowned a bit, "I don't mean to be rude, but I do like my privacy please." He said it a little more harsh than he would've liked to. He was embarrassed after all. No one had really seen him naked for the exception of his mother, a few servants and Mana. Only because Mana had burst into his chambers during a bath.

"Tell me, what happened to your father? I have not heard any news of him for a long while, and you seem to be still very young for a Pharaoh." Atem was shocked by her sudden question. She had merely brushed away his previous statement. She looked very unfocused on the current situation.

"You knew my father?" That was bizarre. She nodded indifferently.

"Quite well in fact, Apep was close to war with Cairo at the time so he visited frequently. He was a very good friend of mine. Last news I heard of him was that he had married, and that was all. I assume you must be his son." Atem nodded,

"Yes...I am his son Atem. How do you know him? You don't look any old than I am." She laughed again.

"Pleasure to meet you...My name is Mena in case that old King forgot to tell you." She didn't answer his question. There was a pause for a second in the conversation, and then with a tone of wonder, Mena said,

"What exactly happened to your father?" She leaned in close in attentiveness. Atem was silent. He bowed his head and turned away, his eyes hidden in the shadows.

"It is late, we should sleep." Mena raised her brows, but said nothing. She merely got up from the couch and to the doors.

Atem looked at her curiously, and she said,

"Well you don't expect me to sleep on that do you?!" She secretly knew she was supposed to stay in the room with him, but she felt the room becoming tense and didn't want to stay any longer. The night's previous events had spoilt the evening. There was no way she was going to stay in that room. Atem's brow furrowed once again and he approached her,

"Where are you going to stay then? Surely slave's quarters can't be any more comfortable." Mena cringed a bit. He was right.

"And what makes you believe I'm a slave, dear Pharaoh?" She said it in an amused tone, but was upset that he assumed she was no more than a slave. He was right about that too, but she didn't like being called a slave. He shifted uncomfortably.

"I didn't know, I assumed you were and I shouldn't have. I apologize to you." He looked at her, with his large burgundy eyes and then bowed his head. Mena was taken aback. He truly was sorry. He genuinely apologized, and meant it. It was probably the first apology she had heard in centuries. He seemed to notice her silence and looked back up at her, with her mouth slightly agape.

"I-I very much accept your apology Pharaoh Atem. Thank you." She whipped around and pushed the door open. "And to answer your question, I have a very lovely bed of my own next door. Thank you for your concern." She gave him a soft smile and exited the door.

Atem plopped down on his bed, watching her leave. She was something else.


	7. Secrets and Sorrows

Chapter Six: Secrets and Sorrows

Atem woke up at the crack of dawn as he usually did, and rubbed his head. It was sore, as was everything else in his body. He sighed and turned over. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't fall back asleep, even though he was extremely exhausted. And it didn't help that he practically slept with his eyes open, hoping Mena didn't come in and murder him in his sleep. She plagued his dreams, and didn't let him sleep at all.

Finally, he sat up and gave up all hopes of falling back to sleep. He put his feet on the cool stone floor and shivered. After sleeping on the soft, warm bed, the hard cold stone floor wasn't all that comforting. He looked around, and discovered a mirror, which showed him a mass of knotted black, blond, and red hair. As usual, his hair never could stay neat. He dipped his hands in the water and began to work on it. Once it was up to its pristine, gravity defying beauty, he threw on the rest of his robe, and his usual gold jewelry.

He opened the heavy copper door, after much comical struggling. He got it open wide enough to wedge himself through, and then pushed it back. He looked at the door, and dreaded having to come back to his room and open the door. Hopefully he could find a handmaiden who could help him...He also hoped he didn't have to go through too many of the same doors, but he knew his hopes probably wouldn't be granted. He walked down the hall, trying to remember the twists and turns that led to the dining hall, and felt his head spin from the lack of color. After being in his bright, colorful room, looking at the dirt colored walls made him sick.

It took him about ten minutes, but eventually he found the dining hall. He entered, and found that the entire table was already filled with people eating and chatting. Isis was engaged with Seto in deep conversation, and Mana seemed to be poking an unidentifiable fruit of some sort that moved suspiciously. She was being scolded by a grumpy looking Mahado, whose eyes kept flickering in between Seto and Isis. Atem's eyebrows raised, but he said nothing.

As Atem sat down, the King chuckled heartily, and slapped him on the back, diverting Seto's attention, like an overprotective mother.

"So then Pharaoh, you made the night?" There was a playful tone to his voice, but Atem knew he truly was serious.

"Barely." Was all he had to say. The king laughed.

"Well don't worry Pharaoh, She'll warm up to you. Or you better hope so, as I assume you have yet to use your power?"Atem shifted nervously in his chair. It was like being called weak.

"I don't like having complete power over one person..." The king gave a grim chuckle this time.

"Oh but you do...Not only over her, but over every single person in Egypt, whether or not you like it." He leaned back, and his voice rose to a normal tone, as he had been whispering before. "So other than your darling, how did you sleep?"

Atem didn't like the way he spoke about her. "Poorly, I'm afraid. A week of traveling in the desert has apparently left me restless." The King nodded, looking sympathetic.

"Yes well, if you ever find yourself unable to sleep, call upon one of my handmaidens and they can give you an herb that will make you drowsy..." Seto was listening heavily in on the conversation, and at that he intervened.

"My Pharaoh...I am sorry to interrupt, but may I speak with you in the hall?" Atem nodded, and grabbed a few pieces of meat and walked to the hall. He knew it was rude, but he was incredibly hungry, and didn't wish to sit with the king any longer. He was beginning to feel...uncomfortable amongst him. Seto, who was almost dragging him out to the hall, suddenly stopped and whirled around.

"My Pharaoh, I know that we must search the Kingdom for Bakura, but I do confess, I feel uneasy leaving you alone here with the insane king, and Ra knows what else is in this Palace..." Atem sighed.

"I understand your concern Seto, and I am happy to know you care for me, but I do know how to care for myself. And I will have Mana with me, so I won't be completely alone." Seto rubbed his temples.

"My Pharaoh, I mean no disrespect, but you alone cannot fend off more than three people, and this King has an entire army at his disposal. And as for Mana, she may be a magician, but she is far from being an expert, and is hardly any protection at all." Atem nearly laughed. Seto usually wasn't this honest. Either he didn't sleep either, or something was genuinely wrong.

"Seto, Mana is a fine magician, and her skills are becoming more refined. I have more than enough protection. And I don't think Bakura will be sneaking through my window during the day to kill me. Especially when I am several floors off the ground." Seto grumbled, unsure as to how to argue with him. Finally he huffed indignantly.

"Fine...I suppose you'll be safe enough, but please, do not wander far from your room. Try to stay out of trouble. This place makes me very uneasy..." Atem shook his head. Seto was more of a worried parent than anybody could ever be. Ra help his future children... He walked back to his room, Seto going back to the dining hall, and munched on a piece of ham. Again, it took him a while to find his destination, but he eventually got there. And he was down to his last piece of meat, staring at the giant copper door.

He sighed and put some bacon in his mouth, and began to tug on the door. He got it open about a foot this time, and squeezed through. Once he got in, he pulled it shut, finding it was much easier than getting it open. A nice security measure he noted. He looked around his room, with slight paranoia. He saw no sign of the girl, and realized that she hadn't been at breakfast at all...So where was she?

Mena laid in bed, fast asleep. It was far past dawn, in fact it was almost midday. But she laid in best, still happily asleep. She was curled up on a big Ibis filled bed, with a numerous amount of blankets over her, as if she were cold. She was in a room, next to the Pharaoh's which was hers as long as she accompanied him. It wasn't as big as his in fact it mainly just held a bed and bathing waters. It was identical to his in the style however, instead of the red hers was a deep purple color. It was the kind of color so relaxing, it made your head spin if you didn't have the sunlight to light things up.

After a while, Mena turned over and stretched. She sighed and rolled back over on her back. As much as she didn't want to, she knew she had to wake up. She reasoned, the King Probably wouldn't care if she slept the entire day, but she had duties to do, and people to talk to, so she snapped her eyes open and nearly screamed. Ife was right in her face, waiting for her to wake up. Her eyes were bright with excitement, and she was bouncing on the side of the bed.

"Ife! What are you doing here?!" Mena exclaimed. Her heart was pumping furiously. It had been a while since she had been scared like that. Ife giggled.

"Oh come on! You were with the Pharaoh last night, and you didn't think I'd be right here in the morning wanting to ask you about the details?" She shook her head. "You should know me better by now!" Mena rolled her eyes and got out of bed. She did know Ife would want details, but not this much.

"Not much happened Ife..." Ife snorted with disbelief. "It's true! Well..." Ife shrieked at an inhuman pitch. "Calm down!"

"Can you blame me?! He's so handsome! And that voice…He seems very gentle." Ife waggled her eyebrows at her friend. Mena rolled her eyes, but smiled all the same.

"Yes, yes, I'm sure he's very tender." Ife could have burst a lung she laughed so hard, "but I'm hoping it doesn't happen. He's not near as fun as his father, from what I can tell. This may not be as fun as the last time. But I'm supposed to go along with him throughout the kingdom today, so I suppose we'll see…"

"Ah! I'm so jealous of you..." Ife nearly screamed with delight and excitement for her. Mena's smile faded a bit.

"Don't be." Ife put her hand over her mouth when she realized what she said. Often times, Mena was fine with her palace life. She had accepted it. But there were many things she hadn't. Ife forgot about this as did other people most of the time, but when it did come around, it plagued Mena, and other people as well. Ife scrambled for a change of subject.

"Well, I do suppose some of the male priests are pretty good looking themselves..." She made an attempt at a giggle and Mena turned around with a smile on her face.

"Gross! How could you like a priest?" Ife laughed.

"I didn't say I like one! I just think they looked pretty cute...Nothing to compare to the Pharaoh of course." Mena laughed.

"Alright, well I'll catch up with you later ok? I have to change and stuff..." She pulled at her silk robe, and messy hair. Ife giggled yet again.

"Ok! Just don't get into any more situations with the Pharaoh before you see me!" Mena laughed as Ife walked out of the room. Her friend pulled the door closed and almost instantly the smile faded from her face. She sat down by the warm bath waters, and stuck her feet in. She sat there, silent, and watched her tears ripple the water.

Thanks so much for reading guys! Go ahead and feel free to give some reviews =) Thanks!


	8. Out in the Market

Mena had once again done herself up, as she was supposed to, to escort the Pharaoh through the kingdom. She pulled at her freshly combed through hair anxiously. Yesterday had been an absolute disaster as far as she was concerned. She wanted to have a good time and meet a new friend, not be worried about her 'orders' or upsetting someone. She had threatened his life and made herself sound even more insane than she actually was. If he was anywhere near 'happy' to see her, she would be damn surprised.

She arranged her robes for the day over the bright necklace that shone proudly from her neck. If there was ever an inanimate object to hate, it would be the one that made her an absolute slave to others. It took away her freedom and free will, and trapped her in that life. She always made absolutely sure she had it covered.

She pulled on the other jewelry she was given in order to look like something more. After all, the Pharaoh couldn't just be seen escorted by anyone. She had to at least look the part. She put coal around her eyes and put a desert lily in her hair as the final touch, and for a bit of perfume.

She shoved her door open and skipped out of the room, ready to go search for her babysitting job. As she came around the corner that separated the doors, she nearly fell over with laughter. The poor royal was pushing against his door with all his might, and then trying to wiggle through the small gap he had made. It was indeed a comical sight. Mena shook her head and pulled the door open in one swift motion, and the man tumbled out onto the marble floors with a large, 'OOMPH'! He laid on the floor for a moment while she stood over him with a large grin on her face.

"Very nice, Pharaoh Atem!" She gave him mock applause. "That was a very nice show, but we must get going. Apep is surprisingly large you know, not just a small blemish on Egypt's fair skin." She said it with a comical smile on her face, but a bit bitter.

Atem attempted to scramble up, but she held out her hand gently for him and he pulled himself to his feet. He noticed she was in a much better mood today; or at least appeared to. Perhaps she had been ordered to be a little friendlier. He hardly doubted the King would want her to upset him at all. He snapped out of his daze and followed her down the large halls. Her hair was long, he noticed. It was perfectly clean and white, shining brilliantly in the sunlight. It swept back and forth as she kept her brisk pace. Her robes flowed behind her, barely touching the ground. Today she had been adorned in many bangles and other gold accessories. She hardly looked the same as she had yesterday. Atem shook his head and took in a breath. He needed to clear his mind. He shouldn't be thinking such thoughts… Mena turned her head to look at him. She raised a brow.

"Everything alright, Pharaoh Atem? You needn't walk behind me you know. You're royalty; I'm supposed to walk behind you." He stared at her for a moment, caught off guard. He hardened his gaze a bit.

"I don't take a whole lot of thought into the traditional rules. You may address me however you choose, and I will be very happy to walk behind, beside, or in front of you." She held his gaze for a moment and he moved up to walk beside her. "Better?" He asked.

"You're very intriguing, Pharaoh Atem…" She squinted her eyes a bit. He chuckled a bit.

"I think the same could very well be said about you." She gave a small, 'hm' in amusement and they were silent for the rest of the journey until they arrived outside.

They stopped right at the front gates. "How would you like to travel today, Pharaoh Atem? Caravan, horses?"

"Horses, of course. I don't believe in making such a fuss. Two guards and us should do just fine. My friend Mana will also be joining us, if that's alright."

l…l

Mena could hardly believe it. Not only did he want to ride horses with minimal guards or servants, but he was asking her permission to take along a friend. He was unreal! She looked at him with a confused frown for a moment and realized she was making him uncomfortable.

"Oh! Um, of course. I'll have someone bring us horses, and I'll summon some guards. He nodded his head.

"My friend should be joining us soon…" She held back a laugh as he added a soft, 'I hope'. She approached one of the gate guards with a smile. She liked the gate guards. They were by far the friendliest, as well as the strongest and the most brave. They had to be, in case someone tried to enter the palace without permission. Unsurprisingly, this happened fairly frequently. She asked one of them to get a servant and request five horses and two guards from the palace. She turned back to walk to the Pharaoh and spotted a young girl running excitedly towards them, waving her arms and yelling. Meanwhile the man was massaging his temples, slightly embarrassed.

l…..l

Atem tried to hide his blush as Mana sped toward them like a mad woman. Mena looked at the sight as though she wasn't sure what exactly to make of it. Mana finally reached him excitedly and Mena began her way back to join them.

"Hi Pharaoh! So how's your friend? Are you excited to see the kingdom? I needed to get out of there! Plus Mahado is busy so I don't have to do studies! What else are we doing today? Where's that girl at?" Mana had a constant stream of questions and things to tell him in the short time they hadn't seen one another. Mena finally reached back to them.

"Hi there! I think I've seen you before but I can't remember who you are." Mena offered her hand to Mana. Mana paused for a second and was deathly still and quiet.

"Oh my gosh! You're the girl from last night, aren't you?" She said a little awed. Mena's kind look faltered a bit but she picked it back up.

"Yes, my name's Mena. Let's just forget about that incident shall we? There's more to me than one night." Mana blushed a bit, not meaning to offend her.

"Mena? My name's Mana! Almost the same! Nice to meet you! I'm Priest Mahad's protégé. I study under him and I'm learning a lot. I've been friends with Atem for a long time now." The girl smiled gleefully, trying to recover from her mistake. Mena smiled surprisingly warmly.

"You remind me of one of my friends, you two would get along very well. Ah, here come the horses. The guards should be here momentarily-"she sucked in a breath of air with a hiss as she saw the guards approaching. The warm smile that had graced her face earlier had fallen.

l…l

She stopped in the middle of her sentence. Nothing could take her gaze away from the scene approaching her at this moment. Of all the guards that could have come with them that day, and there were many, the two that had attacked her yesterday had been the ones chosen. They were still far off in the distance, but Mena could still see the menacing grins plastered across their faces. She snapped back into reality for a split second and composed herself.

"If you'll excuse me Pharaoh Atem, Mana…" She didn't even glance at their shocked and confused faces as she walked away. She was too focused on her current targets. She wasn't going to risk losing her composure or opportunity.

Subconsciously she shifted into her mode of huntress. She dipped her chin low to her chest and her back straight as she walked lightly across the ground, barely making a sound. Her hands were gripped, white knuckled behind her back. Her eyes picked up a threatening glint in the Egyptian sun. When she was only a few paces from the guards, they stopped in their tracks, frozen as they spotted her. The cocky, evil smiles on their faces were long gone.

"Hey sweetie, come to have a good time again?" One guard growled nervously. The other gurgled what Mena could only imagine was some sort of laugh.

"Gentlemen, I suggest you walk back inside." She spoke, only her mouth showing any sign of movement as her gaze held them hostage. The larger of the two gave a loud gulp and took a shaky step backward. The other held his ground and glared back.

"You can't threaten us. You don't have any power. You're under the King's orders not to harm anyone." He smirked and gave a dark chuckle. "We should be asking you to walk back inside for us…" Mena was silent and then began to laugh loudly. Her head rolled back in near mania.

"Oh! Oh dear guards! You seem to forget I'm under the reign of the Pharaoh at the moment! The only order I have controlling me is that I am not to leave his side or attempt to escape. There are no laws protecting you right now." The men pushed backwards in horror. "Now, I won't ask again. Go back inside." They turned and ran for their lives toward the palace. Mena smirked devilishly and calmly followed them. She disappeared into the shadows, and the men's screams were quickly silenced.

l…..l

Atem and Mana watched as Mena confronted the guards at the entrance to the palace. They seemed nervous and uncomfortable as they spoke to her. Eventually, the guards seemed to hurry back towards the palace and Mena followed. Atem frowned and turned to Mana.

"Do you hear screaming?" Mana shook her head.

"Sorry, no." Atem looked back at the gates, uncertain. He could have sworn he heard the two men calling out. Eventually, Mena walked back out from the gates with two new guards. She was running her hands through her hair and straightening her robes. She looked a little frazzled. She met the two with a smile, but something seemed a tad off.

"Hello! Sorry to have kept you both waiting…I had something to take care of. These fine men will be accompanying us today." She gestured to the two new guards who seemed a bit pale. One had a clammy sweat on his brow, as though he had just been sick, or was going to be. "Let's be off, shall we?"

I...I

They began their journey around the kingdom in the large market of Apep, a guard rode in front and in back of the trio, with the Pharaoh in the middle and Mena and Mana on either side. Atem noticed this kingdom was incredibly different than any other he had to visit. Usually, he was flocked by people, barely able to move through the street without people bowing, begging, or shouting all around him. They even went as far to kiss his hands and feet as he passed. He had never liked that part. However, once they had calmed down, he liked the trips because he could talk with the people and wonder on his own.

These people however, avoided him like the plague. They actually ran from their group and scurried inside their homes. The vendors on the market streets that were shouting moments ago were silent as they passed by. A small child pattered out into the street in awe of the horses and reached out to pet one. He had barely stretched out his small arm before he was swept up by his mother and scolded as she ran away. Atem pulled on his black horse's reigns and spoke,

"Stop." Mena pulled in front and turned her horse to face him. The guards stopped dead in their tracks, waiting silently.

"Is there something wrong Pharaoh Atem?" Mena questioned softly. She had been trying to tell him the history and state of the market as they walked through, he supposed trying to take his mind off the silence, and also trying to cover up her own oddities. He still was unnerved by her behavior. He frowned,

"Yes, actually, there is something very wrong here. What is the matter with the people? I've never seen anyone run like this unless there was a shadow demon! Why are they so terrified of us?" Mena shifted uncomfortably, but didn't give an answer. He sighed and slid off his horse. He followed the direction the mother and boy had taken, and found them pressed against a wall in an alley. The boy was staring wide eyed at the Pharaoh and the mother whimpered as she held him tightly. Atem knelt down on one knee and held his hand out.

"Little one, would you like to see the horses? You needn't be afraid." The boy sucked in an excited breath and wiggled loose from his mother's shocked grip. He ran to Atem and took his hand as his mother cried out his name in fear. "Don't be afraid, I won't harm your son." He led the young boy to the large beasts and hoisted him atop. The boy squealed with glee and carefully ran his small fingers through the stallion's mane.

Atem looked over at Mena who had her mouth agape in shock. She closed it, seeming to realize what she was doing, but kept her confused face. He noticed people seemed to emerge from their homes, talking softly amongst one another. After another moment, he plucked the boy from the horse's back and set him back on the ground. The boy waved goodbye innocently to the horse and to Atem before running back to his mother. He gave the woman and the child one last warm smile, and took his horse by its reigns and led it as they continued along the silent market.

Mena, still ahead of the group, hesitated as she watched the Pharaoh calmly walk towards a produce stand. He looked up at her and motioned for her to dismount from her horse. She paused, seeming unsure as she looked at the eyes around her, but slid off her horse and followed Atem's lead. He looked back at Mana, who had already done the same and seemed preoccupied with talking with her horse. He chuckled and plucked an apple from the stand as he handed a gold coin to the pale vendor. His horse whinnied softly and he handed the black creature the sweet fruit. Atem turned to Mena, whose brow was still furrowed curiously.

"Would you like an apple? They look delicious, and Ra knows it would feel good in this heat." Before she could answer him, the vendor squeaked out behind the wooden stand,

"Oh! My Pharaoh! Please, take this bag of apples for free, and any more you would like, for that matter." Atem frowned lightly.

"That doesn't seem fair to others. Here." He handed the man more coins as he accepted the bag of rosy fruit. The man uneasily smiled back.

"Th-thank you!" Atem smiled back and bowed his head slightly in thanks. At this, the whole market seemed to snap back into its rhythm and bustle.

"Pharaoh! Over here! Would you like some beautiful jewelry, my Pharaoh? Some wine, My Pharaoh? Do your horses require water, my Pharaoh?" Atem lit up and beamed as the people became more approachable and began to smile and wave at him. Very few still seemed afraid, but still they roamed the streets, no longer cowering in corners. Mena pulled her horse into a trot as she caught up to him and got away from a jewelry vendor.

"I'm impressed, Pharaoh Atem. You seem to have accomplished something very few kings have, and even less Pharaohs have." Atem cocked his head.

"Oh, really? And what would that be?" She smiled and leant in close.

"You've become personable and approachable to the people." She whispered as she held his eyes captive. Her breath smelled sweetly of flowers and honey. He felt his face grow hot and he cleared his throat.

"W-well, that's just how I feel I should be. I don't think I'm much more special than anyone else." Mena's head reared back as she laughed.

"Dear Ra! Don't let anyone hear you say that! There would be an uprising if the people knew you believed that! You are the Pharaoh after all. That's why there are special rules pertaining to you, you know. It's so that everyone knows you're special and all powerful." She spoke the last words rather bitterly, he thought. He shifted uncomfortably.

"I know why the rules are there, I just have better faith in my people than past rulers have. I don't think I must be feared in order to be respected. Nor do I believe I must force my power over them constantly to remind them who I am and what I am capable of." Mena's eyes grew soft as she was silent for a moment.

"Those are very wise words, Pharaoh Atem. You are definitely different than other rulers…" She held his gaze, and his breath caught in his throat.

"Pharaoh! Pharaoh! Look what I found!" Mana squealed gleefully behind them and they both turned around. She held up a small blue book happily as a very elderly man wobbled beside her. She handed him the proper amount for the book and she ran up to them. "It's a magic and potions book! The man said it was very old. It has all sorts of things I've never seen before! I hope Mahado will know some of them…"

l…..l

Mena watched the two look over the book and converse over some of the spells and depictions. They were both definitely interesting individuals. Atem was truly unique. Of all the kings, Pharaohs and rulers she had met, he took the cake. She could see he was to be the beginning of a new age. He wanted nothing to do with the older rules and laws. He believed in much more beyond just himself and the people he loved. He had a heart, something truly rare in her time, she believed.

Mena was suddenly ripped from her thoughts as she saw something dark dart in her vision. She looked up and sensed an evil presence. She sucked in a breath and narrowed her eyes. She knew exactly who it was. She pulled her hood over her head and covered the bottom half of her face. Looking over at the Pharaoh and his friend, she knew they weren't paying attention to her, and she slipped away from the group into a dark alley.

"Come out. I know where you are." A low chuckle answered her voice and there was a pause. A boy tumbled behind a wall and panted for breath. He had long white hair and a scar on his face. He looked up at Mena with large blue eyes.

"Thank goodness you're here! Someone just attacked me!" His small, high pitched voice called out to her. She didn't move.

"Stand up. No games. Your innocent appearance isn't fooling me, Bakura." The boy leapt up and the once pure face was gone, now a menacing grin. His face had become sharp, demon like in its features. His voice was deep and growling.

"Ah, I see you know me. Hmm if that's the case, then why are you here? Surely you know what I'll do to you." He chuckled again. Mena's hands balled into fists.

"I know exactly who you are, and what you do. You should have been dead years ago, for more reasons than one. Your white hair betrays you."

"Hmm, maybe I should have died, however I'm alive now, and I have a goal to accomplish. And you seem to be in my way currently." He leapt at her with a dagger, ready to slit her throat, and she quickly dodged. As he flew by her, she grabbed him by the neck and threw him to the ground. She kicked the dagger from his hands.

"I will tell you that your goal is in vain, and that nothing will be accomplished by this goal even if you were to succeed. I will kill you for all the crimes you have committed." He looked up at her in surprise for a second and then kicked her away. He pulled a new dagger from his robes and slashed at her face. Again she pinned him to the ground, however this time he had a wild smile on his face. Her hood fell to her shoulders in pieces as her face was exposed. He laughed under her arms.

"As you said to me, your white hair betrays you. Now I know who you are. There were many stories of you in my home as a young boy; the captured assassin goddess." She hissed at him and drove her hands hard into his neck, hoping to squeeze the life from him. He choked and spluttered for a moment, and then kicked her hard against her head. While she was dazed, he scrambled up. "I will leave, dear assassin, for now. But I promise you, I will return to fulfill my destiny and my goal. And I will make sure you die."


End file.
